Actors Suriya and Aparna Balamurali starrer Soorarai Pottru which premiered on over-the-top (OTT) platform Amazon Prime Video in the year 2020, is now being screened in some theatres in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai. Many images and videos taken outside Madurai’s Midland Theatres have gone viral. Huge crowds of fans gathered outside the theatre are seen celebrating the release of the film. Sharing the images, many have also expressed that the experience of watching their favourite stars on the big screen is unparalleled compared to watching films at home.
Sources from Midland Cinema confirmed that four screenings of Soorarai Pottru are scheduled for Friday, February 4 and the movie will be showcased throughout next week. They also added that a couple of other theatres in Madurai including V Cinema: Sholavandhan have screened the film today, and the theatrical rights of the film are likely to be acquired by distributors in other districts of Tamil Nadu as well.
It is to be noted that at the time of Soorarai Pottru’s release, theatre owners had threatened the makers of the film that they would boycott actor Suriya’s movies as they opted for OTT release. Director Hari, who had teamed up with actor Suriya for the Singam franchise penned a letter to the actor urging him to rethink his decision to release the film on OTT. He had stated that the industry must not forget that they have garnered acclaim and fame over the years through theatrical releases.
Helmed by director Sudha Kongara, Soorarai Pottru is inspired by the life of retired army veteran Captain GR Gopinath, who founded Air Deccan. Soorarai Pottru is bankrolled by Suriya and Jyotika’s home banner 2D Entertainment. The Hindi remake of the film, which will also be directed by Sudha Kongara, is in the works.
Speaking about the Hindi remake earlier in September last year, Sudha Kongara had stated, “I was instantly drawn to the story of Soorarai Pottru, the story of Captain Gopinath, an adventurous maverick and an inspiring entrepreneur who epitomised the New India of the 90s. I'm grateful for all the love we have received so far and look forward to telling this unique and amazing story in Hindi.”